


Aging Gracefully

by Graceful_Storyteller



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Discussion of growing old, Fluff, M/M, Nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-20 06:43:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/884165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graceful_Storyteller/pseuds/Graceful_Storyteller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki realises just how much he and Tony have aged, both physically and mentally, over the last 22 years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aging Gracefully

One morning Loki wakes and realises that he has grown old. For someone who has seen empires rise and fall and once thought that he would live to see the cycle repeated many times over, it is a shocking thing to discover. Staring into the bathroom mirror, his hands braced on either side of the pristine porcelain sink, Loki notices for the first time how pronounced the creases around his eyes have become. He notices that his hair is becoming thinner, that strands of pure white have begun to invade his dark locks. He stands and marvels at his reflection, at the man he had not expected to become for at least another thousand years. Yet here he is, a young man of 1037, who has the appearance of a 2090 year old.

“You okay babe? You haven’t fallen in have you?”

Slowly, Loki drags his gaze away from his reflection. He exits the bathroom and returns to the bedroom where his lover awaits him. Tony Stark (who is still surprisingly sprightly for a mortal of 65) is naked and waiting for him upon the sheets of their bed. He is still smiling at his own unfunny joke and, in the process, revealing laughter lines that are more profound than Loki’s. Tony’s hair has long since begun to grey in a manner which Loki finds truly elegant. His physique, too, is still striking – although not in the same way as it was when Loki first laid eyes on the mortal’s bared flesh. Tony’s body is still firm, still conditioned by his frequent battles as Iron Man, yet Loki can still distinguish where time has staked her claim on the man. For one there are the scars earned through years of suffering, fighting, and the occasional miscalculation in his experiments; for another there are the upgrades that Tony has willingly made. At the time Loki thought they were simply Tony’s attempts to strive for more – for him to find that one final solution that will solve all of humanity’s problems. It is only now that Loki realises it would be more correct to say that they were necessary modifications to allow Tony to continue searching for the answers he seeks.

“You seem distracted,” Tony comments, his head cocked to the side as he regards Loki critically.

Loki makes a non-committal sound as he lies down beside Tony. He stares up into curious brown eyes and beckons the mortal to him with a languorous gesture. Tony smiles in a way that he reserves only for those skilled enough to attain his love and loyalty, and twists so that he hovers on hand and knee above Loki. For a moment he merely watches and continues to smile that rare, priceless smile; then he is kissing Loki with a tenderness that the trickster had once thought was lost to both of them.

“So,” Tony mumbles, pulling back enough to allow them both room to breathe, “about you being distracted.”

Loki huffs a short laugh and twines his fingers deep within Tony’s greying locks. “I’m getting old,” Loki mutters, his eyes half-lidded as he stares up into Tony’s still handsome face.

Tony releases an amused snort. “Well _duh_. You’re mortal now babe – of course you’re getting old.”

Twenty-two years ago Loki would likely have struck Tony for his comment. However, he is not that angry young man anymore. He has long since accepted his punishment, has accepted that he will never prove his worth as Thor once did and regain his longevity. He is perfectly happy to die a mortal so long as Tony is beside him. Just not yet – there is still so much that both of them must achieve before they can slip from this mortal coil. He is not yet ready to give up on living and he has told Tony more than a dozen times that if he dares to depart this world before he has been given Loki’s permission to do so then the former prince of Asgard will hunt him down and inflict tortures Tony cannot even begin to imagine. Tony laughs at him when he says this – laughs and tells him that he has a very vivid imagination. Then he kisses him and Loki chooses to take that as Tony’s way of signing the contract Loki has made for him.

“I am not use to aging so rapidly. I am not use to the ones I care for aging at such a rate along with me.”

Tony’s expression suddenly becomes less playful and more serious. He sighs and rolls onto his back, mumbling, “I guess now is as good a time as any to have this conversation.”

Loki turns onto his side and drags over a pillow to lay his head upon. “And what conversation might that be?” he asks, more curious than worried.

Tony releases his breath in a long rush of air. “A number of people have informed me that I’m getting too old to play superhero. They say I tire too easily, and break too easily, and that I’m a bad influence on the new talent.”

A wicked grin spreads across Loki’s features. “I personally think you have done wonders for your arachnid of a protégé.”

Tony chuckles. “I knew I could count on you to see the genius in my work.” He then once again becomes serious as he continues, “But anyway – the point is that I’m getting a lot of people telling me that I should follow in Natasha and Clint’s footsteps and take a purely advisory role in the Avengers. We mere mortals aren’t like Thor and Cap – we don’t pretty much look exactly the same as we did twenty years ago. If we push ourselves past our limits we’ll just be a liability out on the field; it would be better if we leave all the heavy lifting to the youngsters and become their much-needed mentors.”

After a moment of silence Loki asks, “Is there a question in there you would like for me to answer?”

“I want to know your opinion on the subject,” Tony replies somewhat sulkily.

Loki considers his answer for a moment, his long fingers tracing one of Tony’s recently healed scars as he does so. “I think I would be filled with righteous anger if you were to die because of your stubborn pride.”

“That’s not a real answer,” Tony grumbles, causing Loki’s lips to briefly flickering into a smile.

“I would like for you to retire,” Loki says honestly, his gaze connecting solidly with Tony’s. “However, this is not my decision to make. A warrior must decide for themselves when they are ready to lay down their sword. Some never do as they would rather die in a glorious battle than expire of old age. I will not pressure you to give up the thing you love; I will only say that as long as you carry your sword you shall never receive the benefits of being a retired hero.”

“What benefits?” Tony asks with a curiously raised eyebrow.

Fighting a smirk, Loki replies, “Why, the benefit of your adoring acolytes finally being able to grace you with their thanks without fear that you will be whisked away into another battle before they are done.”

To illustrate his point Loki applies his mouth to Tony’s chest. He kisses the scars slowly, sensuously, and uses his tongue to lap up beads of sweat with an almost ardent devotion. Tony groans in pleasure before hissing, “Liar – you are totally pressuring me into retiring.”

“I prefer the term ‘manipulating’ to pressuring,” Loki whispers before pressing his smirking lips back against Tony’s skin.

“Sneaky bastard,” Tony growls. “Fine! I’ll hand my notice in to Cap tomorrow; I’ll tell him that I’m done with fieldwork but will stay on as a consultant.”

“Good boy,” Loki whispers as he moves to captures Tony’s lips.

“One condition though,” Tony adds before Loki can acquire his target.

“Oh?” Loki enquires politely.

“No treating me like an old man. I might not be world-saving fit but I am in no way old or infirm or incompetent.”

“Deal,” Loki replies before signing the agreement with a kiss.

When they part Tony is once again smiling that rare smile. He runs his fingers gently through Loki’s hair and murmurs, “I look forward to growing properly old with you.”

“Sentiment,” Loki sneers playfully, prompting Tony to laugh.

“I think I’m allowed. After twenty years of putting up with your shit I think it is acceptable for me to have become fond of you.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Loki concedes, moving in once again to claim Tony’s lips.

For a moment the peace and tranquillity of the moment remains. Then Tony grins lecherously and says, “Now, about those benefits you promised...”

 


End file.
